asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange for the payment of an old age pension at the full rate to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
81.
The person concerned has been paid a non-contributory old age pension at the maximum rate from 3 July 1981. A payable order covering all arrears due was issued shortly afterwards. This represented the difference between her personal rate of pension and the adult dependant's allowance already paid in respect of her on her husband's retirement pension, between 24 March 1981 when her claim was received and 2 July, 1981.
82.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange for unemployment assistance at the full rate to be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned is presently being paid unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £14.55 being the maximum rate £16.95 less notionally assessed means of £2.40 derived from her holding.
She has recently applied for a factual assessment of her means and her case has been referred to a Social Welfare Officer for investigation.
Her claim will be reviewed in the light of the outcome of the inquiries and if a factual assessment is more advantageous to her she will be assessed accordingly.
83.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will make an early decision on the application for unemployment assistance of a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned has appealed against the disallowance of his unemployment assistance claim and in this connection further inquiries are presently being made by a social welfare officer of my Department.
The claim will be determined as soon as all necessary investigations are completed.
84.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange for unemployment assistance at the full rate to be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned is presently in receipt of unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £39.35 being the maximum rate of £41.10 less means of £1.75 derived from the value of board and lodgings on his father-in-law's holding.
If he is of opinion that his circumstances have changed it is open to him to apply to have his means reassessed.
A form of application for this purpose may be obtained at his local office.
85.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange for an early decision on the application for a widow's contributory pension by a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned has been in receipt of a widow's contributory pension from my Department since 1966. Payment is being made at the maximum appropriate rate.
to a pension from the United Kingdom under the EEC Regulations on Social Security has been examined by the British authorities who say they are in the process of issuing a formal notification of disallowance to her in this regard.
86.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange for the payment of unemployment assistance at the full rate to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Following the completion of re-investigation of the means of the person concerned a deciding officer of my Department revised the decision in his case and assessed him with nil means with effect from 1 July 1981.
The person concerned is accordingly entitled to the maximum rate of unemployment assistance, namely £54.70 increased to £56.35 from 30 September 1981 and arrangements have been made to increase the weekly rate of unemployment assistance payable to him and to pay all arrears at an early date.
87.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange for an early decision on the unemployment assistance appeal lodged in June 1981 by a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The records of my Department show that the person concerned lodged his appeal on 19 September 1981 against the assessment of means for the purposes of his unemployment assistance claim.
An appeals officer decided the case on 4 November 1981 and reduced the means assessment from £5.75 weekly to £2.00 weekly with effect from 10 June 1981.
Arrangements have been made to increase the weekly rate of unemployment assistance to £33.15 being the maximum rate of £35.15 less means of £2.00 and to pay all arrears at an early date.
88.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange for the immediate payment of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 3 April 1981 to 27 May 1981, after which date he was certified fit to resume work. He was not, however, qualified for payment as according to the records of my Department he had less than the required minimum of 26 contributions, paid or credited, in 1979/80, the contribution year governing his claim.
He was informed of the position on the 17 June 1981 and requested to supply details of his employment in the 1979-80 contribution year so that his entitlement to benefit could be reconsidered. As no reply was received he was again requested on 17 September 1981 to supply the information but has not done so to date. A further inquiry was issued on 6 November 1981 and on receipt of the necessary details of his insurable employment in that year his claim will be reviewed.